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The Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses is the ruling council of Jehovah's Witnesses based in Brooklyn, New York. The body formulates doctrines, oversees the production of written material for publications and conventions, and administers the group's worldwide operations.〔"Our active leader today", ''The Watchtower'', September 15, 2010, page 27, "They recognize, however, that Christ is using a small group of anointed Christian men as a Governing Body to lead and direct his disciples on earth."〕 Official publications refer to members of the Governing Body as followers of Christ rather than religious leaders. Its size has varied, from seven (2014–present)〔As of September 2005, twelve members listed (See ''The Watchtower'', March 15, 2006, page 26) Schroeder died March 8, 2006. (See ''The Watchtower'', September 15, 2006, page 31) Sydlik died April 18, 2006. (See ''The Watchtower'', January 1, 2007, page 8) Barber died April 8, 2007. (See ''The Watchtower'', October 15, 2007, page 31) Jaracz died June 9, 2010. (See ''The Watchtower'', November 15, 2010, page 23) Barr died December 4, 2010. (See ''The Watchtower'', May 15, 2011, page 6) Mark Sanderson appointed in September 2012 ("A New Member of the Governing Body", ''The Watchtower'', July 15, 2013, page 26. )()〕〔("Guy H. Pierce, Member of the Governing Body, Dies at 79" )〕 to eighteen (1974–1980) members. New members of the Governing Body are selected by existing members. ==History== Since its incorporation in 1884, the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania has been directed by a president and board of directors. Until January 1976, the president exercised complete control of doctrines, publications and activities of the Watch Tower Society and the religious denominations with which it was connected—the Bible Students and Jehovah's Witnesses.〔 When the Society's second president, J.F. Rutherford, encountered opposition from directors in 1917, he dismissed them. In 1925 he overruled the Watch Tower Society's editorial committee when it opposed publication of an article about disputed doctrines regarding the year 1914. In 1931, the editorial committee was dissolved. In 1943 ''The Watchtower'' described the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society as the "legal governing body" of anointed Jehovah's Witnesses. A year later, in an article opposing the democratic election of congregation elders, the magazine said the appointment of such ones was the duty of "a visible governing body under Jehovah God and his Christ." For several years, the role and specific identity of the governing body remained otherwise undefined. A 1955 organizational handbook stated that "the visible governing body has been closely identified with the board of directors of this corporation."〔 cited by Raymond Franz, ''Crisis of Conscience'', page 74〕 Referring to events related to their 1957 convention, a 1959 publication said "the spiritual governing body of Jehovah’s witnesses watched the developments () the president of the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society ()."〔"Divine Will International Assembly of Jehovah’s Witnesses", ''The Watchtower'', February 15, 1959, page 115, "So with intense interest the spiritual governing body of Jehovah’s witnesses watched the developments... Without delay the president of the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society closed a contract with the owners to use the Polo Grounds simultaneously with Yankee Stadium."〕 The 1970 ''Yearbook of Jehovah's Witnesses'' noted that the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania was the organization used to plan the activity of Jehovah's Witnesses and provide them with "spiritual food", then declared: "So really the governing body of Jehovah's Witnesses is the board of directors of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania." On October 1, 1971, Watch Tower Society vice-president Frederick Franz addressed the annual meeting of the Pennsylvania corporation in Buckingham, Pennsylvania, stating that the legal corporation of the Watch Tower Society was an "agency" or "temporary instrument" used by the Governing Body on behalf of the "faithful and discreet slave". Three weeks later, on October 20, four additional men joined the seven members of the Society's board of directors on what became known as a separate, expanded Governing Body.〔 The seven directors at October 20 were Nathan Knorr, Fred Franz, Grant Suiter, Thomas Sullivan, Milton Henschel, Lyman Swingle and John Groh. The additional four to form the Governing Body were William Jackson, Leo Greenlees, George Gangas and Raymond Franz.〕 The board of directors had until then met only sporadically, usually to discuss the purchase of property or new equipment, leaving decisions about Watch Tower Society literature to the president and vice-president, Nathan Knorr and Fred Franz.〔〔Testimony by Fred Franz, Lord Strachan vs. Douglas Walsh Transcript, Lord Strachan vs. Douglas Walsh, 1954, as cited by Raymond Franz, ''Crisis of Conscience'', 2007, page 75-76.〕 ''The Watchtower'' of December 15, 1971 was the first to unambiguously capitalize the term "Governing Body of Jehovah's witnesses" as the defined group leading the religion, with a series of articles explaining its role and its relationship with the Watch Tower Society.〔 The focus on the new concept of "theocratic" leadership was accompanied by statements that the structure was not actually new: ''The Watch Tower'' declared that "a governing body made its appearance" some time after the formation of Zion's Watch Tower Society in 1884, though it had not been referred to as such at the time. The article stated that Watch Tower Society president Charles Taze Russell had been a member of the governing body.〔 The ''1972 Yearbook of Jehovah's Witnesses'' stated that following Rutherford's death in 1942 "one of the first things that the governing body decided upon was the inauguration of the Theocratic Ministry School" and added that the "governing body" had published millions of books and Bibles in the previous thirty years. Former member of the Governing Body, Raymond Franz, stated that the actions of presidents Russell, Rutherford and Knorr in overriding and failing to consult with directors proved the Bible Students and Jehovah's Witnesses had been under a monarchical rule until 1976, leaving no decisions to any "governing body". In 1972, a ''Question From Readers'' article in ''The Watchtower'' further reinforced the concept of the "Governing Body"; the magazine said the term referred to an agency that administers policy and provides organizational direction, guidance and regulation and was therefore "appropriate, fitting and Scriptural."〔 Organizational changes at the highest levels of the Watch Tower Society in 1976 significantly increased the powers and authority of the Governing Body. The body has never had a legal corporate existence and operates through the Watch Tower Society and its board of directors. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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